Power toy incorporating a rotatable disc means for providing amusement



Dec. 29, 1964 M. J. RUDERIAN POWER TOY INCORPORATING A ROTATABLE DISCMEANS FOR PROVIDING AMUSEMENT Filed Dec. 10,

FIG. 2

ZNVENTOR. MAX J. RUOERIAN BY Moti /1%;

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,163,426 POWER TGY INQRPORATING AROTATABLE DISC MEANS FQR PROVIDING AMUSEMENT Max 5. Ruderian, 545Hanley, Los Angeles 49, Calif. Filed Dec. 10, 1%2, Ser. No. 243,515 3Claims. (Cl. 273-142) This invention relates generally to amusement andeducational devices and more particularly to a novel power toy forenabling a variety of different educational games to be played.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved power toywhich may be manually operated to impart a rapid spinning motion.

More particularly, it is an object to provide a novel power toyincluding means for supporting the toy while rotating so that thespinning structure may be observed by a group and a game may be playedin which action is dictated by a particular position in which the disccomes to rest.

Another important object is to provide a power toy of the foregoing typein which the disc is adapted to carry various symbols and in which thesymbols themselves are disposed on a medium which is replaceable withdiiferent media carr 'ing different symbols whereby a plurality ofdifferent types of games may be played with the same basic structure.

Still another important object is to provide a novel power toy which maybe used to impart spins to auxiliary toys to the end that greatversatility is afforded.

Briefly, these and many other objects and advantages of this inventionare attained by providing a power mechanism for driving a disc memberrotatably mounted to the power mechanism. An operating rack member inturn is coupled to the power mechanism, and arranged to reciprocate bymanual operation to impart a rotary spin to the disc member. The rackmember itself is designed also to function as a stand for the toy.

In one embodiment of the invention, the disc member includes a pluralityof symbols circumferentially disposed about its axis of rotation, therebeing provided a marker means in the form of a pointer stationarilypositioned with respect to the rotating disc. With this arrangement, theplayer may cause the disc to rotate and then permit it to come to restso that one of the symbols is juxtaposed the marker means. This symbolmay be a number, a letter, a word, or a phrase dictating that a certainaction is to be taken. The other side of the disc may be provided with acorresponding symbol such as a translation of a word so that aneducational game results.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the rotatable disc memberitself may be provided with suitable clutch means on its surface so thata spin may be imparted to other toys. For example, the spin may beimparted to a top. Alternatively, the spin may be imparted to apropeller type toy so that after the spin is imparted thereto, it willelevate itself in the manner of a helicopter.

A better understanding of the invention will be had by referring to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a first em bodiment of theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of theinvention;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view illustrating media employed with thestructures of FIGURES 1-4;

FIGURE 6 illustrates in cut-away perspective view a third embodiment ofthe invention useful with auxiliary toys; and,

3,163,426 Patented Dec. 29., 1964 FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of the front face of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 6.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, the power toy includes a basic casingstructure 10. Secured to this casing structure 10 is a transparenthousing 11 which, as will be evident from FIGURE 2, is pill box inshape. Within the housing 11, there is provided a medium 12 carrying aplurality of symbols 13 circumferentially distributed about a centerpoint. A ratchet member 14 projects from the casing 10 and is arrangedto be manually reciprocated into and out of the casing as indicated bythe double headed arrow. The end of the ratchet may be folded as at 14to define a loop structure 14 for receiving a pencil P and therebyproviding a stand.

With particular reference to FIGURE 2, it will be noted that themechanism within the housing 10 is coupled to a disc 15 as by means of ashaft 16 so that the disc 15 is rotatable within the housing 11. Thesymbol medium 12, which may be in the form of a circular card having thesymbols 13 printed thereon is secured to a hub 17 on the disc 15. Thehousing itself is secured to the casing as at 18. The symbol medium 12is larger in diameter than the disc 15 so that symbols on its rear sidemay be observed through the housing 11.

As shown in both FIGURES 1 and 2, the housing includes an arrow 19imprinted thereon and juxtaposed the periphery of the rotating medium 12so that in operation, spinning of the disc will rotate the symbolcarrying medium, and it will come to rest with the arrow 19 juxtaposedone of the symbols.

FIGURE 3 illustrates a power toy very similar to that described inconjunction with FIGURES l and 2, except that the housing is an integralpart of the rotating disc. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 3, there is provideda casing 20 for .a power mechanism. A rotatable disc means including ahousing 21 in turn carries a symbol medium 22 having symbols 23 thereon.A ratchet member 24 projects from the lower end of the casing 20 andwhen moved in an up and down direction will cause rotation of both thesymbol medium 22 and the housing 21.

With reference to FIGURE 4, it will be noted that the housing includes acentral hub 25 for carrying the symbol bearing medium 22. Several suchsymbol bearing media or cards may be provided such as indicated at 22aand 22b. The entire housing and hub structure 25 is secured to a shaft26 driven by the mechanism within the casing 20.

FIGURE 5 illustrates one embodiment of the media for the symbols whereinthere are shown circular shaped cards 22a, 22b, and 22c secured togetherat one peripheral point as at 27 to provide a book type of structure. Bythis arrangement, each disc shaped symbol bearing medium may be turnedas are the pages in a book and folded such that only one side of onecard will be exposed when secured onto the hub 25. The entire structuremay then be rotated by operation of the reciprocable ratchet lever 24.In the case of the embodiment of FIGURES 3, 4, and 5, there is provideda marking means in the form of an arrow 28 secured to the casing 20 soas to be stationary with respect to the rotating structure. As in thecase of FIGURES 1 and 2, the arrow will designate one of the varioussymbols when the housing has come to rest.

The games which may be played with the structure as described in FIGURES1-5 are numerous. For example, a game of baseball may be played byemploying as symbols suitable directions or descriptions of eventstaking place such as a hit, or an out, or a strike. Since any one ofthese is as equally likely to appear opposite the arrow as any other,assuming even distribution of the symbols about the disc, the game isgoverned solely by chance.

within the casing are illustrated in FIGURE 6 and this 7 structure isthe same as the mechanism within the casing 10'and 20 of the embodimentsof FIGURES 1, 2, 3, and 4. Thus,'description of the mechanism within thecasing of FIGURE 6 is applicable to the other embodiments.

As shown, the rack operating member 31 includes ratchet teeth 32arranged to engage a drive gear 33. Inward movement of the lever 31 willrotate the disc 33 and urge it against the pinion 34 thereby rotatingthe shaft to which the disc 30 is secured. Outward or retractingmovement of the lever 31will simply result in a disengagement of thedrive gear 33 from the pinion 34. This result'is attained by mountingthe gear 33 in short slots S in the casing to provide a loose bearingtherefor.

' In the embodiment of FIGURES 6 and 7, there is provided an auxiliarytoy in the form of a top 35 having small indents such as shown at 36,37, and 38 distributed about its top surface. These indents serve tocooperate with a clutch means illustrated on the front face of thedisc-30 in FIGURE 7. These clutch means takethe form of projections 39,40, 41. By mating the clutch means, a spin may be imparted to the top35.

Alternatively, the clutch means may be employed to rotate a propellershaped member to cause it to spin away from the disc 30.

In this latt'er event, the disc would normally befacing upwardly beforebeing clutched to such a propeller member.

From the foregoing description, it will be evident that the presentinvention has provided an extremely attrac tive power toy. The structureitself is simple and economical to manufacture and requires a solelymanual operation to provide the desired rotation. Moreover, by

' 4: bent configuration including a loop 14" for receiving a pencil asdescribed in FIGURES 1 and 2 results in a stable stand for the devicewithout undue increase in manufacturing expense.

While only certain embodiments of the invention have been set forth anddescribed in detail, various changes and modifications that fall clearlywithin the scope of the invention will occur to those skilled in theart. The power toy is therefore not to be thought of as limited to theexact structures set forth merely for illustrative purposes.

What is claimed is:

l. A power toy comprising, in combination: a casing; a disc means; powerdrive means within said casingconnected to said disc means;.an operatingrack member extending from said casing and manually reeiprocably movableinto and out of said casing to operate said power drive means andthereby rotate said disc means said operating providing various symbolicmedia which may be interrack member terminating in a laterally bentportion defining in part a'circular loop to receive an elongated objectand thereby provide a stand for said toy; and means on said disc. meansfor providing amusement upon spinning of said disc means. V

2. A toy according to claim 1, in which said means on said disc meansfor providing'amusement comprises symbols on said disc meansjdistributedabout the center of rotation of said disc means; and stationary markermeans juxtaposed the periphery. of said disc means so that the symbolcoming to rest opposite said marker means after said disc means is spunis designated.

3. A toy according to claim 2, in which said symbols are carried on amedium removable from said disc means so that different symbols may besubstituted to provide different forms of amusement.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 76,3 12 11/04Forsheirn 273 142 1,139,119 15 Heidenreich 46-64 1,370,682 3/21 Buys273-142 2,083,703' 6/37 Grumbacher 40l02 2,086,697 7/37' Caesar 40- 102X 2,194,010 3/40 Cooke 40-102 FOREIGN PATENTS 444,352 3/36 GreatBritain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

1. A POWER TOY COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A CASING; A DISC MEANS; POWER DRIVE MEANS WITHIN SAID CASING CONNECTED TO SAID DISC MEANS; AN OPERATING RACK MEMBER EXTENDING FROM SAID CASING AND MANUALLY RECIPROCABLY MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF SAID CASING TO OPERATE SAID POWER DRIVE MEANS AND THEREBY ROTATE SAID DISC MEANS SAID OPERATING RACK MEMBER TERMINATING IN A LATERALLY BENT PORTION DEFINING IN PART A CIRCULAR LOOP TO RECEIVE AN ELONGATED OBJECT AND THEREBY PROVIDE A STAND FOR SAID TOY; AND MEANS ON SAID DISC MEANS FOR PROVIDING AMUSEMENT UPON SPINNING OF SAID DISC MEANS. 